Writer’s Blog

Analysis: why CAMRA’s apology tastes flat

Now another organisation has ended up in the spotlight. Derby’s CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) group got itself in trouble over a crossword puzzle.

Its bi-monthly magazine printed one with terms deemed racist and homophobic, and faced online criticism.

Colin Valentine, CAMRA’s national chairman apologised with a letter published on Twitter. Before we consider how he did, let’s remind ourselves of what an apology should and shouldn’t do. To work, it should:

Express remorse

Admit responsibility

Make amends

Promise it will never happen again.

And should not:

Use apologise or regret in place of sorry

Be conditional

Apologise for offence caused rather than behaviour

Try to make excuses

Have inappropriate formality

Apologise for trivial things.

The Apology

Two rules are broken: apologising for offence caused. I apologise tends to be used when we’re not really sorry. Here it’s understandable as Mr Valentine is not saying sorry for something he’s done personally.

But he’s sorry for offence caused, not that it happened, and that weakens it.

The middle part underlines the virtuous, inclusive culture at CAMRA.

Now how about making amends and promising it won’t happen again? Mr Valentine is conditional. He only hints at how he will deal with his member’s errant behaviour. The final part of the letter promises to ‘proactively communicate’ their values, codes and charters.

The Verdict

CAMRA’s chairman shows he regrets what’s happened and the offence it’s caused, but his letter would benefit from being more direct. What he and real ale campaigners are going to do needs to be clearer. He does provide us with a further rule for the list: don’t over-signal your virtues.